James Madison running back Wayne Knight is entering the NCAA transfer portal, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett. He spent four seasons with the program and will have one more year of eligibility.

Knight set career highs for the Dukes in 2025. He ran 207 times for 1,373 yards, nine touchdowns and 6.6 yards per carry. He added 40 catches for 397 yards and a score.

Knight redshirted in 2022, playing in all four games that season to preserve a year of eligibility. Overall, he has 293 carries for 1,837 yards, 11 touchdowns, 6.3 yards per carry, 61 catches, 608 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions.

As a member of the Class of 2022, Knight was not ranked, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He played his high school football at Smyrna (Del.) High.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

It’s safe to assume UCLA is worth watching for Knight’s services in 2026. His head coach, Bob Chesney, is now running the Bruins football program following JMU’s College Football Playoff appearance. But Knight, an All-American, 1st-Team Sun Belt RB and Paul Hornung Award finalist, is expected to command great interest in the portal.

“And then you come here to UCLA and everything I’ve loved about every place I’ve ever been is all packaged into one, right. It’s all here, and it’s all present here. That is very easy, in my mind, to present to the right person, the right player,” Chesney said, regarding taking the job at UCLA, where some JMU players could follow.

“It can’t just be about the money. It can’t just be about one of those things. It has to be them fully understanding all of those things that come with it. And, I think, to me, when you’re passionate about it as a coach, when your staff is passionate about it and you know that you’re truly changing people’s lives? The administration cares about it, the alums are more motivated than ever, right, in their ability to help mentor these guys in different ways? Those are things that I think are different than anywhere else I’ve ever been.”